1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a drainage apparatus, specifically to a self-draining pool cover drainage apparatus providing for drainage of water, leaves, residue, and debris off of a swimming pool cover by means of gravity through a skimmer opening in a side-wall of a pool. The present invention provides for a self-draining pool cover eliminating the potential for accumulation of water, leaves, residue, and debris on said swimming pool cover during the off-season that the pool is not in use.
2. Description of Prior Art
Swimming pool covers are known in the art. Swimming pool covers are commonly used to cover pools during the off season when pools are not in use to prevent the ingress of water, leaves, residue, and other debris. U.S. Pat. No. 5,802,629 relates to a self-draining pool cover for the removal through gravity means of the accumulations of water, dirt, and other residue which can collect during the off-season that a pool is not in use. An aperture located in the surface area of a pool cover is positioned in the pool at a lower elevation than the remaining pool cover to remove accumulations from the pool cover by gravity. In addition, there are conduit means for disposing the accumulations including an outlet in a wall of the pool.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,802,629 suffers from a number of disadvantages:
a) Large debris drawn by means of gravity to the pool cover's aperture that cannot be disposed of through the pool cover's aperture by means of gravity will result in a backup of leaves and other residue on the pool cover restricting the disposal of water and other residue through the pool cover's aperture. PA1 b) Large debris drawn by means of gravity through the pool cover's aperture can become lodged in the conduit means and/or the outlet assembly resulting in a backup of leaves and other residue restricting the disposal of water and other residue on the pool cover. PA1 c) The option to cover the aperture with a leaf screen can result in the accumulation of leaves, debris and other residue restricting the disposal of water and other residue on the pool cover. PA1 d) The removal of accumulated leaves, debris, and other residue from the centrally located pool cover's aperture would be difficult. PA1 e) Swimming pools to date are not manufactured with an outer assembly hole or with a preinstalled outer assembly, thus installation of the outer assembly would be required. PA1 a) to provide a drainage apparatus allowing for drainage of water, leaves, residue, and other debris off of a swimming pool cover by means of gravity; PA1 b) to provide a drainage apparatus allowing for the drainage of water, leaves, residue, and other debris off of a swimming pool cover by means of gravity through the skimmer opening located in the side wall of a pool; PA1 c) to provide the means for a self-draining pool cover; PA1 d) to provide easy installation; PA1 e) to provide easy access to leaves, residue, and other debris on a self-draining pool cover preventing the possibility of accumulations; PA1 f) to provide easy cleaning of a self-draining pool cover prior to removal and storage; PA1 g) to provide drainage use of the preexisting substantial skimmer opening in the wall of a pool.